Ben and Lil have just signed the contract for their first London flat. The locks are dodgy, there’s a pest problem brewing and their lettings agent seems both incompetent and mildly unsettling. But at least their relationship’s strong, right? Unfortunately not – Ben is about to admit that he’s cheated on Lil on a drunken night out. Neither can afford to break the lease, so they’re locked in for the long haul: just the two of them, some simmering resentment and plenty of black mould.
The premise for Break Clause, Channel 4’s new romcom series, also feels very much like a modern day horror story. Break-ups can be painful enough even when you are able to sever ties quickly in order to move on. But attempting to untangle your lives from one another and get some semblance of closure while still sharing the same bathroom? It’s the stuff of nightmares.
